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The Rhos Herald

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A-:':"--'------B'C-DGET BtTLL'S-EYES.

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Rhannu

A B'C-DGET BtTLL'S-EYES. (FROM THE BUDGET LEAGUE.) The discussion of the licensing clauses in the Budget Bill during this week was pre- ceded by a number of important conces- sions. Several changes were made in the draft of the Finance Bill. The duty on tsotels was lowered; the duty for clubs was made more convenient; and the duty for the larger public-houses was sensibly re- <dv.ced. At the same time, there were some anoclifications in the duties for the grocers And other shopkeepers who possess off- licences for the sale of wine and beer. How were these concessions received? "One would have expected that, as the money has to be raised and must be raised either from drink or from food, the patriots who were clamouring for a larger Navy Would have recognised the reasonableness -of the Government in softening the blow as far as possible. But, instead of that, the concessions were .received with a kind of howl from the whole Tory Press. The brewers immediately announced that there Would be no difference in their attitude of 'hostility; the hotels put forward through Certain organs the extraordinary claim 4hat they should sell drink without any licence at all; and finally one organ, famous for its skill in political contortions, Accused the Government of encouraging in- temperance This bedlam of cries is easily interpreted. -The one hope of the Opposition at the pre- sent moment is that they may get back on "the licensing struggle some of the popu- larity that they have lost on the land clauses. They saw with horror that Mr. concessions might be re- garded in the country as a proof of justice towards the "Trade." Immediately, there- fore, their whole energies were directed to prevent this result. Their object was-in iihe familiar cricketing phrase-to crab the #itch." This policy is maintained by a renewal obstruction in the House of Commons, which is being compelled by the Opposition io have another series of all-night sittings "ttefore the licensing clauses are passed. 'Then a last big attempt is to be made by the opponents of the Budget to regain lost I ;g^ouiid in the country. The policy is clear -and evident. It is the good old method of ""regaining on the swings what you have 3ost' on the roundabouts." But, the country, curiously enough, -Ihows no sign of rising to these very simple wiles. The average man sees clearly "tjiat when the State gives to an individual ,or to a company the monopoly of. the sale --Of alcohol it is only fair that the receiver -Of that monopoly should pay the duty. He no that at present the duties press hardly on the small publican and very lightlv on the big tied house. He recognises Ahat the Government have with great labour •And care worked out a scale which will s lightly on the small man and rather tftiOTe heavily on the big man. He regards "tllat change as just and eouitable. it is not so much the licensing ques- :,l0n that the man in the street think- lng about at the present moment as the tactics of the Tory Party. He sees that deliberately attempting to rave its *rie>ids the dukes and the big landlords "worn their just share of taxation by play- upon the baser passions of the crowd, it. e. people hope to save their land by Routing all at once, They are going to your drink! and yet at the same time have the impudence to accuse the pro- •>•)••• of the Budget of playing to the pas- of the mob. ■A-s a matter of fact, the Budget has phayed to the passions of the mob. Tom %he beginning, the Government have ■*Ly^t>sed to tax the luxuries of both the USsos and the masses equally in order to JhN°V*<?e ^r>r public needs The only differ- ig that the masses have not rebelled jSainst the taxes asked from them, and we 0 Hot think that they will rebel now. ■» The strategy of the opponent of the Bud- is excellently illustrated in their lite- 'ift have of late spent some time Studying the documents of the Budget League." We notice one char- V^ti° that all their literature seems to in common. The writers always keep w Und taxes behind and put the tobacco spirit duties in front. ^ave before us at present, for in- publication containing Sixty- W+ 011lts Against the Budget," ingeniously lfttleTy- But the order does not fol- ia order of the bill. Point 2 is "Poor Man's Smoke." Point 3 Dearer Cigars and Cigarettes. Point the "Poor Man's Beer." Point 6 is Whisky and Dear Whisky." But ■^Oi n°^ -^an(^ Taxes" until fcft • w^en last, as if it were an JJid.thought, the writer utters the for- eu words "the new land taxes." when we coine to the new land taxes AtI what does the writer .4 Ub ication, -re (iHis only complaint is that the taxes '.n°t simple and straightforward." the landlords really want simple "\easy tralghtforward" taxes it is perfectly tbeir to gve them. They have only to take Ad °*ce- Which would they prefer?— §J8 011 capital value of all land? or 2d. or t'le estates, as in. New Zealand? iid ? Jalat t speak all at once!" We had no the real complaint of the Budget "94i]lst the moderation of Mr. Lloyd- ge., L Wh 8, ^le meaning of all this ? It to -i1 the Tory Party are very hard r*tcfi fk Their hot-heads are trying to to ,a dissolution, and yet their, Jjoft members perceive that a Dissolu-' disaster- They are trying, J%av fv.' ™4neeuvre in order to get Ottnq "unpopu ar ground on tQ popular We ought to fight," said Lord ne sense time ago to the House "f i-Loras, *on tavourabie ground." The ground at present is unfavourable, and, therefore, they are trying to shift on to 1 favourable ground. I It is really almost pitilul to see what straits they are reduced to. Let us take No. 2 in these Points Against the Bud- get." It is called "The Poor Man's Smoke." What is the grievance? It is that Mr. Lloyd-George has put a d. an oz. on 2 all tobacco. It seems that he ought to have graduated it. He ought to have put d. on I "shag" and gd. on better tobacco, and so 2 1 forth. We are delighted to hear it, and we very much hope that Mr. Lloyd-George will "0 Al note the proposal. If those are the lines on which the Tories are going to fight the Budget the Liberals will be only too will- ing to meet them more than half way. :) 7(- What these gentlemen forget is that Mr. Lloyd-George has to raise sixteen millions of money. He might raise a few more thou- sands by distinguishing between cheap and dear tobacco, or between cheap and dear cigars, or between whisky and Chartreuse, but how could he raise £ 16,000,000? It is simply the obsession of the Tariff Reformer, who wants to introduce his Tariff even into the tobacco duties and the I cigar duties.

IZEPPELIN AT BERLIN. I

i CASTAWAYS ST R A NG E STORY.1

IUNFIT FOR FOOD. I

THE CAREER OF MURDERERS.

BILLIARD ROOM A BAR.

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